Device for locking hunting knives in their scabbards



Dec. 25, 1945. I e. E. HouslNGER DEVICE FOR LOCKING HUNTING KNIVES INTHEIR SCABBARDS Filed Sept. 30, 1945 @.Zlawz'ggew IN V EN TOR.

ATTO/Willens Patented Dec. 25, 1945 DEVICE FOR LOCKIN G HUNTING KNIVESIN THEIR SCABBARDS Glenn Edward Housinger, Harlingen, Tex.

Application September 30, 1943, Serial No. 504,478

1 Claim.

This invention relates to knife scabbards, the primary object of theinvention being to provide means for locking a hunting knife within itsscabbard, against accidental displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide locking means for lockinga knife within a scabbard, to render removal of the knife by personsother than the person wearing the knife, exceptionally dificult.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a scabbard constructedin accordance with the invention, and illustrating a huntingr knife aspositioned and locked in the scabbard,

Figure 2 is a fragmental elevation view of the handle end of a knife andthe locking end of the scabbard.

Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional view through the handle of the knifeand locking portion of the scabbard,

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 designatesthe body portion of the scabbard, which may be constructed of anysuitable material and of a size to accommodate a knife blade of apredetermined size.

The head of the scabbard is indicated by the reference character 6 andas shown, is provided with an elongated opening 'I to accommodate theusual belt used in securing the scabbard and knife held therein, to thebody of the wearer.

The head 6 is formed with an opening that aligns with the body portion,so that a knife blade may be positioned within the body portion.

The knife, which is indicated by the reference character 8, includes ablade and a handle indicated at 9, the blade being shown as extendedthrough the handle, where it provides a support for the spring arm I0,which is shown as riveted to the blade at II. 'I'he handle 9 is formedwith a cutout portion of a width to accommodate the spring arm I Il topermit the spring arm I0 to iiex readily, when pressure is directedthereto as when gripping the handle 9. A collar indicated at I2 ispositioned over the inner end of the handle 9, and this collar is formedwith an opening through which the locking pin I3 extends, the lockingpin I3 being secured to the free end of the spring arm I0, as clearlyshown by Figure 3 of the drawing. This locking pin I3 is of a length toextend into the notch I4 formed in the head 6 of the scabbard, providinga lock to prevent the knife from being withdrawn from the scabbard,without first depressing the spring arm to disengage the locking pin I3with the wall of the notch I4.

As clearly shown by Figure 3 of the drawing, the spring arm Ill is soconstructed that it extends beyond the edge of the handle 9 to permit itto be gripped. When the handle 9 is gripped, and the spring arm Idepressed, it is obvious that the knife may be readily withdrawn.

The outer edge of the locking pin I3 is beveled, so that the locking pinwill be directed inwardly, by contact with the edge of the head S, asthe knife is being inserted in the scabbard. lIt will of course beunderstood that the spring arm ID will automatically move the lockingpin to its locked position when the knife has been positioned within thescabbard,

It might be further stated that the construction of the scabbard is suchthat when the scabbard is positioned on the belt of the wearer, thespring arm of the knife placed within the scabbard, will be next. to thebody of the wearer of the knife. With the spring arm positioned next tothe body, it will be seen that accidental displacement by the spring armI0 contacting with foreign objects such as brush or trees, will beprevented.

What is claimed is:

A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a scabba-rdhaving a head formed with an opening, the inner wall of the openinghaving a notch, al knife having a handle, adapted to be positioned inthe scabbard, and said handle having a, cut-out portion disposedlongitudinally thereof and formed in the side of the handle, a springarm, one end of the spring arm being secured within the cut-out portion,the main portion ofthe spring arm extending beyond the outer surface ofthe handle, the free end of the spring arm lying adjacent to thescabbard and adapted to extend into the opening of the head thereof, apin on the free end of the spring arm adapted to engage within the notchformed in the head of the scabbard, securing the knife within thescabbard, and said spring arm and pin adapted to move inwardly away fromthe notch, releasing the knife, when the handle is gripped to remove theknife from the scabbard.

GLENN EDWARD HOUSINGER.

